Charles h



' llNlTED f STATES PATENT FFICE.

MINING-COLUMN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,140, dated January6,1891.

Application filed July 17, 1890. Serial No. 359,064. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. SERGEANT, of the city and county of NewYork, in the State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Mining-Columns, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to animprovement in mining-columns in which a pairof standards are united by two partsupper and lower cross-headswhich maybe readily removed and adjusted for the purpose of increasing ordiminishing to a considerable extent the length of the column.

The object is to provide simple and effective means for securing theupper end of the column in engagement with walls of varying angles, andat the same time transmit the thrust of the engagementof the column ofthe wall to the cross-head rather than to the pivotal connection of theengaging fork with the cross-head, and in general to provide a columnwhich may be firmly adjusted and readily removed, and it may be readilyadapted to a great variety of positions.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of the column in sideelevation, one-half of the upper and lower cross-head being removed.Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the line 00 0c of Fig.- 1, andFig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through line y y of Fig. 1.

A represents the standards, which may be conveniently formed ofpipinggas-piping, for example-and may be prepared in suitable lengthsand kept conveniently'at hand, so as to accommodate the length of columnapproximately to the length of the distance of the walls with which itsopposite ends are to be engaged. The opposite ends of the standards Aare received in sockets 1), formed in the ends of the sectional upperand lower crossheads B and B. Each of the cross-heads B and B is made intwo similar half-sections bolted together and drawn into close contactwith the standards A by means of screw-bolts G, provided with nuts 0.Between the halfsections of the upper cross-head B the engaging fork Dis centrally pivoted upon a bolt 01, its branches (1 projectingoutwardly and upwardly from the central portion and being provided at.their ends with sharp edges (1 for the purpose of biting into the .hardwall of mineral. lowed considerable play upon the pivotal bolt (Z, andits lower central portion is rounded, as shown at d, and rests in closeproximity to a curve-faced bearing-lug h on the cross-head B, so thatwhen pressure is exerted to throw the edge 61 into contact with the wallof min eral the thrust will be received upon the concave face of the lugh before the forkD engages closely with the pivotal bolt d. Thisprovides against any liabilty of springing or breaking the bolt d andrenders it feasible to employ a much lighter bolt than where the weightis thrust upon the bolt itself.

Between the half-sections of the lower cross head B aninternally-screw-threaded sleeve E is secured, the opposite ends e ofsaid sleeve being enlarged and overlapping the upper and lower edges ofthe half-sections of the crosshead, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,wherebythe said sleeve is prevented from vertical movement when thehalf-sections of the cross-head are bolted together.

WVithin the sleeve E a heavy screw F is seated, and is provided with asharp point f for engagement with the wall of mineral and with a head f,provided with sockets or perforations f for the reception of a lever forthe purpose of rotating the screw, and thereby forcing the sharp edgesof the fork B and the point. f of the screw into engagement with thewall of mineral.

Whenever it is desired to adjust the column to a length greater thanwhat can readily be provided for by the screw F, the bolt C may beloosened, the standards A removed, and a set of longer standardsinserted in their places.

The column whichIhave herein shown and described is particularly welladapted for use in connection with an auger-supportsuch, for example, asthat shown and described in an application executed and filed by me ofeven date herewith.

Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with the standardsand the cross-heads for securing the standards together, one of thecross-heads being formed in separable sections, of an engaging devicepivotally secured between the separable sec- The engaging fork D isaltions of the cross-head, and a bearing upon I the said cross-head withwhich the engaging device contacts when under strain before it contactswith its pivotal connection, the said sections of the cross-headforming'a guide for the engaging device intermediate of its hearing andengaging ends, and means for adjusting the column, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination, with an upper and lower cross-head, each formed inhalf-sections and provided with sockets at their opposite ends,ofstandards adapted to entersaid sockets for increasing or diminishing thelength of the column, and engaging devices at the upper and lower endsof the column, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a pair of standards, an upper sectionalcross-head engaging the upper ends of the section, andalower sectionalcross-head engaging, the lower ends of the standards, of an engagingfork pivotally secured between the sections of the upper cross-head andan engaging screw having a threaded connection with a sleeve, the latterbeing engaged between the sections of the lower cross-head,substantially as set forth.

CHARLES ll. SERGEAN".

Witnesses:

I). ll. HAYWOOD, L. N. LEGENDRE.

